1. Technical Field of the Invention
This invention relates to radio telecommunication systems and, more particularly, to a system and method of calling a single mobile telephone through multiple directory numbers without modifing the mobile telephone.
2. Description of Related Art
Many mobile subscribers utilize their mobile telephones for more than one purpose, and desire to answer incoming calls differently, depending on the nature of the call. They may accept both business and personal calls on the same telephone, or they may have more than one business or more than one source of incoming business calls. A mobile plumber, for example, may have calls coming in on both his own business telephone number as well as on a 800-number from a referral group. The plumber may answer the calls differently, depending on which number was called.
For different callers, or calls to different numbers, the subscriber may wish to answer the call in different ways, ignore the call, or choose to have the call transferred in different ways. Currently, the only way for a subscriber utilizing a standard mobile telephone to distinguish between incoming calls is through a distinctive alerting feature which alerts the subscriber through a series of ringing pulses that an incoming call is, for example, a call to a group of mobile telephones. Other than this limited capability, however, mobile subscribers utilizing standard mobile telephones currently do not have any way to know the nature of an incoming call.
Although there are no known prior art teachings of a solution to the aforementioned deficiency and shortcoming such as that disclosed herein, there are a number of references that discusses subject matter that bears some relation to matters discussed herein. U.S. Pat. No. 4,677,653 to Weiner et al. (Weiner) discloses an adaptor for a cellular mobile telephone unit that converts the unit to include a plurality of telephone numbers. A plurality of ROMs, configured as Number Assignment Modules (NAMs), are connected through a multi-position switch to the unit's microprocessor. Thus, the telephone may be configured to operate, one at a time, with a different telephone number by selecting a different NAM with the multi-position switch. Weiner thus requires modification of the mobile telephone itself, and does not teach or suggest a method of simultaneously utilizing multiple telephone numbers with a single mobile telephone by changes to the cellular network rather than the mobile telephone. In addition, Weiner does not teach or suggest a network implementation that provides the mobile subscriber with an indication of the directory number dialed by the calling party. The present invention discloses a network implementation that associates multiple Directory Numbers (DNs) with a single Mobile Identification Number (MIN) in a Home Location Register (HLR) to enable several directory numbers to reach a single mobile telephone, and then passes the dialed DN to the mobile telephone.
European Patent Application EP 0,378,450 A2 discloses a cellular telephone containing several different telephone numbers. Also described is the transfer of a telephone number from a portable radio telephone to a mobile radio telephone which results in the mobile telephone simultaneously having two or more telephone numbers. However, EP 0,378,450 A2 does not teach or suggest a method of utilizing multiple telephone numbers with a single mobile telephone by changes to the cellular network rather than the mobile telephone. In addition, EP 0,378,450 A2 does not teach or suggest a network implementation that provides the mobile subscriber with an indication of the directory number dialed by the calling party. The present invention provides such a network implementation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,742,560 to Arai (Arai) discloses a mobile cellular telephone which has different telephone numbers for different service areas stored in a Number Assignment Module (NAM) in the mobile telephone. The telephone numbers are stored in the telephone in conjunction with the telephone's MIN and with a respective service area identification code. Thus, Arai requires modification of the mobile telephone itself, and does not teach or suggest a method of utilizing multiple telephone numbers with a single mobile telephone by changes to the cellular network rather than the mobile telephone. In addition, Arai does not teach or suggest a network implementation that provides the mobile subscriber with an indication of the directory number dialed by the calling party. The present invention provides such a network implementation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,448,622 to Huttunen (luttunen) discloses a cellular radio telephone converted to operate with a plurality of telephone numbers. All of the telephone numbers may be concurrently enabled for incoming calls, and the telephone may indicate on a visual display, the telephone number which is being called. However, Huttunen requires modification of the mobile telephone itself, and does not teach or suggest a method of utilizing multiple telephone numbers with a single mobile telephone by changes to the cellular network rather than the mobile telephone. In addition, Huttunen does not teach or suggest a network implementation that provides the mobile subscriber with an indication of the directory number dialed by the calling party rather than through changes to the mobile telephone. The present invention provides such a network implementation.
Review of each of the foregoing references reveals no disclosure or suggestion of a system or method such as that described and claimed herein.
In order to overcome the disadvantage of existing solutions, it would be advantageous to have a system and method of utilizing multiple telephone numbers with a single mobile telephone by changes to the cellular network rather than the mobile telephone. In addition, it would be advantageous for such a network implementation to provide the mobile subscriber with an indication of the directory number dialed by the calling party without any changes to the mobile telephone. The present invention provides such a system and method.